Netflix Instant Nudge: Dana Gould - Let Me Put My Thoughts In You

Dana Gould is a bit absurdist, a bit storyteller, a bit impressionist, mostly caricaturist. He's one of the most complete acts working. Let Me Put My Thoughts In You, besides being wonderfully titled, is a good look at him.

His talent is splattered all over a full career. His early work on The Ben Stiller Show. His role as goofy co-worker Jimmy on the forgettable Working. His sad yet hilarious portrayal of Frankie on one episode of Seinfeld. His voices and writing and producing on The Simpsons.

That is another really weird thing I developed from my father: just this bizarre genetic inability to create muscle tone. I barely eat. I could do sit-ups all day. I stand up: I'm still built like a condom full of walnuts.

I rated this show positively a couple years ago, but only 3/5 stars. Watching it again, I'm changing that to 4/5. Greg Fitzsimmons has claimed that Bob Odenkirk's directing ruined the performance, and I might see what he's getting at. The camera zooms in and out. It pans across the stage. The audience's heads show-up on screen, even crossing Gould in parallax as the angle of the shot shifts. The audio has more echo than the smallish room needs. It's not bad direction, it's just a noticeably filmed set. I like that it highlights Gould's shifting and starting rhythm. There's a controlled mania there.

He talks about his racist father, his evil daughter, his liberal frustration, and he even talks about his own jokes. And Viagra.

Leukemia will still be there. Multiple sclerosis will be fine. We've gotta crack the old guy boner draught!